FOR THAT PERIOD. C-3 FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER NEWT GINGRICH SAYS THE POLITICAL DAMAGE TO REPUBLICANS FROM THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN... IS BEING ERASED BY THE HEALTHCARE WEBSITE ROLLOUT PROBLEMS. GINGRICH WAS IN JOHNSON COUNTY TODAY ... CAMPAIGNING FOR THE RE-ELECTION OF KANSAS SENATOR PAT ROBERTS. KMBC 9'S MICHEAL MAHONEY CAUGHT UP WITH HIM THIS AFTERNOON. --SOT- ROBERTS IS SEEKING HIS 4TH TERM IN TE US SENATE. TODAY, THE STAR OF THIS EVENT WAS FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER GINGRICH. GINGRICH AND ROBERTS SERVED TOGETHER IN THE HOUSE IN THE 1990'S. THE FORMER SPEAKER PRAISED HIS WASHINGTON EXPERIENCE. HE ALSO SAID THE POLITICAL DAMAGE TO THE GOP FROM THE SHUTDOWN ISN'T LASTING LONG BECAUSE OF THE HEALTHCARE WEBSITE PROBLEMS: --SOT- NEWT GINGRICH: THE DISASTER OF OBAMACARE IS GOING TO WASH OUT EVERYTHING. BY THE TIME WE GET DONE WITH OBAMACARE, AND PEOPLE ROBERTS IS FACING OPPOSITION FROM A TEA PARTY CANDIDATE, DR. KMBC 9 NEWS, JOHSON COUNTY. C-3 SENATOR ROBERTS ALSO SAYS THERE'S NOTHING PERSONAL IN HIS CALL FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SERCRETARY KATHLEEN SEBELIUS TO BE FIRED. THE TWO FAMILIES HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR YEARS.